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(No Model.)

M. 'J. SWEENEY.

MOVABLE OUTLINE DRAWING AND DESIGN.

No. 285,442. Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:.

I g I m/Bu his flttomeys, I Cg UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

MORGAN J. SWEENEY, NEWV YORK, N. Y, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN AND EDMUND MOLOUGHLIN, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

MOVABLE OUTLINE DRAWING AND DESIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,442, dated September 25, 1883.

' Application filed August (5, 1883. (No model.)

To whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Mono-AN J. SWEENEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Movable Outline Drawings or Designs, of which the following is a specification.

It is well known to artists that slight changes in the outline of a figure, especially the pro file of thehuman face, will produce extraordinary changes in the character of'the face and the likeness, and this is in a great degree independent of the other parts or features not shown in outline. To provide a picture, drawing, or design, then, with an outline which is unchangeable or invariable at certain points,

, but otherwise variable to an almost unlimited extent, will enable any one to produce almost instantaneously an entirely different face or figure-as, for example, from the face of an old person to that of a young one; from'a lean face or body to a fat one; from an aquiline nose to a snub. All of the various nationalities of men may be thus represented with one movable outline, andvery rapidly.

My invention consists in a drawing with I such a movable outline; and I will describe by an instructor in drawing.

its mechanical construction, which is very simple, with reference to the accompanying draw- A ings, wherein-' Figure 1 is a view showing a profile head with an outline only, such as may be employed One profile is shown in full lines and another possible profile in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1, except that the eye, ear, and some of the markings of the face are sketched in with ink or color, for example, and are unchangeable.

Let a represent any plain surface to form a ground of any desired tint and material-as a piece of thick white card-board, for example. The movable outline b is formed by preference of fine annealed wire. The ends of this wire are passed through the cardboard a at c c and attached at the back. At certain parts (2. cl, which will vary in location according to the design, are formed loops or eyes, through which the outline-wire 1) passes. These keep the outlinewire down to'the surface of a, yet allow it to play freely through them. In order that these loops (1 (Z may be as inconspic uous as possible, I prefer to make them as bows or staples of very fine wire, which are passed over the outlinewire, and their points passed down through small holes in the board a, at the back-of which they are secured. I find it sufficient to secure the ends of the loops d'and the outline-wire at the back by gumming strips of paper over them. Other means may, however, be employed.

.It will, perhaps, be unnecessary for me to further describe the operation of the device, as this will be readily understood by those familiar with drawing. I will call attention, however, to the fact that the outline b in Fig. 2 fairly illustrates the profile of a woman, while the dotted line (with which the outlinewire may bequiekly brought to coincide) rep resents that of a man. In Fig. l the two out lines have an entirely different character, as will be readily seen.

.As the outline-wire is annealed, it may be moved about'with the finger, and will remain where placed and as bent.

The drawings are only intended to illustrate two of the various adaptations of my invention. Itwill be obvious that it may be applied to full-length figures, and to animals and inanimate things, as well as to human beings. I do not limit myself to the employment of wire'for the movable outline, although I. consider this the best. Other flexible things may be employed, as cords, thin strips of metal, 850. It is requisite, however, that the material employed should have little or no elasticity, and be sufficiently inflexible to remain in the position placed until moved.

My invention is adapted for amusement and instruction, as well as for instruction alone, and I contemplateits employment as a toy, wherein comical designs may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A movable outline-drawing constructed substantially as described-that is to say, an outline made from wire or its equivalent, conseams nected to the ground by loops, through which In witness whereof I have hereunto signed the said outline may slide, substantially as set my name in the presence of two subscribing forth. witnesses.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a movable outline-drawing comprising a ground, a, an outline, b, of wire or its specified equivalent, having its ends secured at c, and the loops (Z, through which the outline 2) passes and is free to slide, all arranged substantially IO as set forth.

MORGAN J. V SVEENEY.

Vitnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, GEO. BAINTON. 

